The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•Business first.

XXX. Business first.

Tommy arrived home late after his meeting with May Carlton, meeting Maude in the kitchen as she prepared dinner for them. She was cutting up fresh vegetables when Tommy stepped into the kitchen, shrugging off his coat and draping it over one of the kitchen chairs. "Sweetheart." He greeted as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before making his way over to the liquor cabinet.

"Thomas." She greeted coldly and Tommy sighed knowingly as he poured himself a glass of whiskey. "How did your meeting go?" She asked, getting harsher with slicing up the vegetables, the knife continuously banging on the wooden cutting board.

Tommy turned towards her, knowing seeing May in the shop earlier had made her upset all over again. He put down his glass and approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist, chest pressing to her back and chin resting on her shoulder. "You have nothing to be jealous of." He assured her.

"I know." She muttered as she put her knife down and turned around in Tommy's arms. "I trust you, Thomas. I trust you with my life. But not her, I don't trust her." She insisted with a firm shake of her head. "So let me give you a warning." She muttered as she pressed a hand to his chest.

"A warning?" Tommy repeated as he quirked an eyebrow at her.

She hummed as she nodded her head, pulling loose from Tommy's hold. "If you do anything with that woman, I will do the same." She warned as she backed away from him, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. "Arthur is single, right?" She asked as she quirked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows.

Tommy silently stared at her for a second, jealousy surging through him as his jaw clenched. "Be careful, Maude." He warned as he pointed a finger at her. "Be very fucking careful." He repeated before closing the space between them, pressing his forehead against hers as his hand gripped her waist. "You forget you're mine and mine only?" He asked.

She slightly shook her head as she stared up at him, her hands pressing against his chest again."Of course not my love, I'm just making sure you don't forget that you're only mine." She muttered as she gave him a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.

Tommy clicked his tongue as he shook his head. "Maybe I didn't fuck that attitude completely out last night." He muttered as he pushed Maude against the table behind her.

"No, seems you didn't." She agreed with a shake of her head, and Tommy immediately pushed the cutting board aside before hoisting her onto the table, his lips on her neck and his hands pushing her skirt up to her waist.

Soon Michael's eighteen birthday came around and the Shelby family as well as the Felton family all gathered in the Garrison's snug to celebrate with the young boy. Polly and Michael were yet to show up, so the Peaky Boys took it upon themselves to get the party started.

"Well, Finn, you've got two choices, mild or mild," John informed his younger brother as he poured all the ladies a pint of mild.

Finn smiled up at his brother as he shook his head at him. "Mild." He replied and John handed him a pint.

Maude sat back in her chair next to Tommy as she sipped on her beer, her gaze drifting towards Anna who sat with a glass of water she had gotten from the bar, pushing her pint of beer towards Daniel when he finished his own pint.

The door to the snug opened, catching everyone's attention. "Here he is, look." He said and everyone rushed to get up to their feet as Polly entered with Michael and everyone began cheering, clapping their hands for the birthday boy.

"Happy birthday, Michael," Tommy spoke over the cigarette between his lips as he reached out to shake Michael's hand.

"Eighteen years old. You're a man today." Arthur told the young boy before turning towards John, patting him on the back. "Give him a drink, John boy." he insisted.